


Winter Stranger

by rilakumabear



Category: Robin Hood (BBC 2006), The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 11:42:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13007049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rilakumabear/pseuds/rilakumabear
Summary: In the middle of winter, a young Prince Thranduil escapes to a serene forest pool to bathe in peace away from the duties he is bound by, when a mysterious stranger joins him.





	Winter Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't actually watched Robin Hood yet so Guy is probably a little out of character here. Also Thranduil is a little more bratty and rebellious here as he's still the Prince, not the king as we see in the movies. I haven't written fic in over a year so sorry if this sucks, but I hope it's okay ^_^ Thank you for reading!
> 
> Merry Christmas!

The winter chill left his skin covered in gooseflesh, but Thranduil knew of one place in the Greenwood that was still warm.

A clear pool in deep within the forest, blanketed by ancient trees and moss-covered rocks, and full to the brim by a refreshing waterfall. Thranduil sighed at the familiar sight, feeling as if half his burdens had already melted away. A light steam rose steadily from the clear waters, shrouding the lagoon with a mysterious fog, and vines of ivy across the stones were covered in white frost. Incongruous to the cold winter, the waters were kept warm all year round because of the springs deep underground.

Thranduil gracefully stepped down from his elk, leaving the strong beast untied. It meandered a little further away, but Thranduil knew it would not abandon him through fear nor fancy.

He took his time divesting his clothing: a velvet cape of deep red, his robes of shimmering black laced through with silver and golden thread. They were beautiful clothes, made fit for the young prince that he was, as much as he loathed the title currently.

Begrudgingly, he knew his position was that of fortune; there were far too many born in poverty who would never experience even half the luxury of his life. But Thranduil hated the gilded cage he lived in- the never ending lectures of what to do, how to speak, how to act- it was rare indeed to have a private moment to himself at any given time. His little visits to the forest lake were no secret to the dozens of eyes that watched it, but he knew, with some annoyance, that it was allowed because all he ever did was bathe himself.

It was something of a routine now, to pack a embellished wooden box filled with soaps and oils, a small soft sponge and a fresh set of robes. Nonetheless, it was an open space, and he always kept a sharp blade close by. Thranduil set his belongings aside, shivering in the snowfall.

Finally naked, Thranduil stepped into the soothingly warm water, sighing with bliss as it washed over his cool skin. It was relaxing, but not enough to distract him from this thoughts. He scowled when he thought back to his tutors, the endless lessons in etiquette and manners, as if any of that mattered! What made him even more irritated was the fact they knew exactly what he was doing, even now, in his moment of anger he could not bring himself to rebel more than taking a leisurely bath in the open.

“When I’m king,” Thranduil muttered to himself. “I’ll banish all the useless pretentions that serve no purpose but waste time.”

So caught up in his irate thoughts, the young prince almost didn’t notice the sound of footsteps approaching. He stilled immediately, instinctively reaching for his blade and sinking a little deeper into the water. The splashes from the waterfall were a distraction, but footfall was unmistakeable. Not so heavy as a to be a dwarf, but the clumsiness was unmistakably a human man.

Thranduil hesitated, even as the footsteps grew closer, the traveller drawn to the sound of fresh water. He wasn’t afraid to stand and fight if he needed to, but to be caught bathing- or trying to dress in a hurry- seemed a little too humiliating. No, it was much better to stay put and observe the situation first. Perhaps the man would walk past the pool-

From the thicket of woods, the human strode out into the open. He was tall, with long, shaggy dark hair tangled around his face, a sharp nose, and deep dark eyes. Despite the winter chill, his skin was covered in a layer of sweat, and he panted heavily as he made his way directly to the water, carrying a leather bag that he dropped to the ground below. He must have been travelling for quite some, time, Thranduil realised. Enough to be desperate for water without properly checking his surroundings.

As the man bent down to scoop some water into his mouth, he glanced at Thranduil and froze, his hand comically posied mid-air. If not for the snow falling softly around him, Thranduil might have thought time itself had stood still.

“Have you seen enough or would you like me to stand and turn in a circle for you?” Thranduil asked coldly, sounding far braver than he felt.

The man laughed; a rich and hearty sound that was pleasing to Thranduil. Without knowing quite why, he decided he wanted to hear more of it.

 “My apologies,” the man said. “I thought I must be dreaming. But you’re real.”

“Yes,” Thranduil sniffed. “Of course I’m real.”

“Far be it for me to intrude but,” the man flicked a glance down his chest for a second longer than necessary. “Why is a young Elf such as yourself bathing out in the open like this? Aren’t you cold?”

Thranduil smiled. He didn’t really mind sharing the little secret, he supposed. “This pool is heated because there are natural springs underground. No matter how foul the weather, the water is always warm.”

The man seemed suspicious and eyed the water doubtfully. Thranduil chuckled to himself. It probably did seem strange, seeing as the ground around them was covered in snow.

“You’re welcome to try it, if you don’t believe me.”

The man laughed again, in disbelief, cautiously dipping his fingers into the water, and feeling the warmth of it. “This is surely some Elven magic of yours, no?”

“We Elves have many skills and knowledge,” Thranduil started drily. “But manipulating the temperature of water with our bare skin is not one of them.”

The man laughed again, and this time happily leaned forward to wash his face. “My apologies once again. As you may have guessed, I’m not familiar with the people here.”

“What is your name?” It was Thranduil’s turn to be suspicious. Exposed as he was, he was still a stranger to the other man, who seemed far too comfortable with him already.

“Guy of Gisborne,” the man replied easily. “I don’t suppose that name means anything to you, does it?”

“Gisborne,” Thranduil repeated thoughtfully. “I’ve never heard of it.”

Something flashed in Guy’s dark eyes, and he smiled, somewhat pleased, somewhat bitter. “That’s for the best.”

“My name is Thranduil, son of Oropher,” Thranduil said, deliberately leaving out his titles. If the man was such a foreigner, those names would likewise mean nothing anyway.

“Such beautiful names,” Guy murmured. “I’m surely a long way from home.”

“Where are you travelling to?” Thranduil asked.

Guy smiled again. “As far as I can get.”

“Running from something?”

“Looking for adventure.”

It was a casual, blatant lie, but Thranduil did not pursue it. “What brings you to these woods? Not many who venture in are able to find their way out again.”

Guy scoffed. “I think I’ve been in these damn woods for days already. I lost my horse an age ago.”

“You must be exhausted,” Thranduil cocked his head, fascinated. He himself had never explored new places by himself, always sticking to familiar grounds or escorted by dozens of others.

“And dirty,” Guy hesitated, gesturing to the water. “Would you mind…?”

Thranduil drew back in surprise. “Oh- well, I suppose.”

Perhaps this was a normal thing in Gisborne, to bathe together? He flushed as the the man pulled off his clothes without much finesse, cursing himself for not paying attention to the endless etiquette lessons he had been running away from in the first place. Was the human expecting him to get out? Thranduil tried to recall if a place called Gisborne was ever mentioned by his many tutors, but any knowledge completely eluded him.

Guy did not seem particularly shy about his body, making no effort to hide or even turn away. Thranduil couldn’t help but sneak admiring glances at the other man’s toned body, the dark hair that covered his arms and legs also covered his bare chest, trailing down, down, in a clustered bush around a thick and veined-

“Gods, it _is_ warm,” Guy groaned as he sank into the water with a blissful moan. It was absolutely sinful, and Thranduil shifted, uncomfortable. “Much better that the shithole where I’m from.”

“What’s it like in Gisborne?” Thranduil couldn’t help but overcome his flustered nerves to ask. “I’ve never left these woods before.”

Guy opened his eyes to look at him in astonishment. “Ever?”

“Father wouldn’t allow it,” Thranduil scowled. “He expects me to learn the etiquettes and cultures of other places I shall never visit!”

“And why does he expect you to know that?” Guy asked sharply.

Thranduil almost gasped out loud. In a matter of minutes, he had almost revealed his true identity to this stranger. He needed to be more cautious.

“It- It is custom of us Elves to learn of other cultures,” Thranduil blurted. “We live for so long, it is our duty to accumulate knowledge.”

Guy observed him for a long while, and Thranduil hoped his reddened cheeks were not visible through the steam. But eventually, the other man relaxed.

“The lands here are so strange to me,” Guy hummed thoughtfully. “But perhaps that is what my soul needs. Something different. Something entirely new.”

There was a sadness in his voice, and Thranduil wondered again what he was running from.

“I wish I could say the same,” he answered instead. “But I am bound by-” he caught himself this time. “It would be difficult for me to live any other life than the one already expected of me.”

 Guy spread his arms across the stones, seeming to settle into the water more comfortably. He grinned suddenly. “And here we both are. Could be worse, surely?”

Thranduil couldn’t help but chuckle at this strange situation. “Could be worse,” he agreed.

The sat for a few moments in companiable silence, the sounds of the waterfall flowing down the only noise. To occupy himself, Thranduil busied himself with his fragrant soaps, lathering a good foam and rubbing it into his body. He wondered how his tutors and his father would react if they knew the young prince was bathing with- no, bathing _next_ to a strange man from a distant land he hadn’t even heard of. No doubt they would be furious. The thought of their squawking protests made him smirk with satisfaction.

“What are you smiling about?”

Thranduil looked up. Guy was smiling, eyes dark with desire. He looked at Thranduil with barely-concealed admiration, gaze dragging slowly over Thranduil’s soaped, wet, body.

“N-Nothing,” Thranduil flushed. He was well aware of his own beauty, but no one had ever looked at him with such blatant desire before. His body reacted instantly, and he was grateful of the water that hid his over eagerness.

With fumbling hands, Thranduil snapped shut his soapbox, yelping a little when the hinge caught on his skin.

With a concerned snort, his elk burst into the clearing, trotting closer to him. Guy gave a start, immediately reaching for a weapon.

“Don’t!” Thranduil cried out, immediately throwing out an arm. He turned to the elk, who was sniffing at him to find the source of pain. “Voronwë,” Thranduil crooned. “I’m alright.”

Satisfied, the elk gave his arm a quick lick and returned to his grazing.

“That- that animal is yours?” Guy asked. He was more relaxed now that there was no perceived danger, and he gazed after the animal with half wariness and half admiration. “What is the name you have given him?”

“Voronwë,” Thranduil repeated, somewhat shy. “In the tongue of my people, it means faithful.”

“Such elegance in your language,” Guy murmured. “There is much I don’t know.”

Thranduil considered for a moment. “Would you like to find out more?”

For a moment, Guy did not answer, and the snow drifted down around them. Then he smiled, the same slow smile when he had first set his eyes upon the young prince.

“Yes,” he said. “Thranduil.”

 

fin~


End file.
